Concerns as new cases top 1,000 in 48 hours
CORONAVIRUS cases in Wales have jumped by more than 1,000 in 48 hours, latest figures reveal, as public health experts flagged up concerns about increasing numbers in an area not currently subject to local lockdown measures.
There were 432 new laboratory-confirmed cases of Covid-19 yesterday, confirmed Public Health Wales (PHW), but this was a lower amount than the 576 new cases reported on Saturday.
Saturday’s total is the highest daily reported tally in Wales since the pandemic began, and was 100 more than Friday’s total of positive test results.
However more testing is being carried out now than compared with the first peak of the virus in April. There were 8,966 tests carried out on Saturday, compared to 10,988 on Friday.
Dr Giri Shankar, inci
dent director for the outbreak response at PHW, said approximately 2,000 test results going through the UK Department of Health and Social Care’s Lighthouse Labs were still delayed.
He said yesterday: “This means that today’s test numbers will be an underestimate of the true picture of coronavirus in Wales. This is beyond our control, and we apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.”
Five more people have died in Wales after testing positive for Covid-19, it was also reported at the weekend.
The number of overall deaths with coronavirus in Wales now stands at 1,630.
Rhondda Cynon Taf currently has the highest rate of infections in Wales with 179.1 cases per 100,000 people based on a rolling seven-day average, up from 175.7 on Saturday. Merthyr Tydfil closely follows this figure at 179.0 per 100,000 of population, down from 189 per 100,000 on Saturday.
Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, and Cardiff all exceed 100 cases per 100,000 people with Blaenau Gwent at 143.1, Bridgend at 111.5 and Cardiff at 102.8.
The Wales overall infection rate is 78.8 per 100,000, up on Saturday’s figure of 76.2.
Around 2.35 million people are now in local lockdowns across Denbighshire, Flintshire, Conwy, Wrexham, Cardiff, Swansea, Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Llanelli in Carmarthenshire, Merthyr Tydfil, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Newport, Neath Port Talbot, the Vale of Glamorgan and Torfaen.
Cardiff reported the highest number of new cases on Sunday with 43 while Rhondda Cynon Taf reported 39. Swansea had 30 new cases, Bridgend reported 27, and Flintshire reported 29.
Pembrokeshire reported no new cases while Anglesey and Powys reported two each and Ceredigion reported one.
Dr Shankar said there has been an increase in cases in Gwynedd, which is not currently subject to local lockdown restrictions.
The local authority area recorded 21 new cases yesterday with an incidence rate of 47.4, which is just short of the 50 threshold that has so far been seen as a benchmark by the Welsh Government when introducing local measures.
Dr Shankar said: “We are now also seeing an increase in cases in Gwynedd and for that reason we urge people to continue to follow the public health guidance: self-isolate when asked to do so, stay two metres away from others, and wash your hands regularly. These actions are essential in reducing spread of the virus, protecting older and vulnerable people, and keeping Wales safe.
“Following the introduction of restrictions in the borough of Caerphilly our data is beginning to show a downward trend and, although we cannot categorically say this trend is a result of lockdown, we are cautiously optimistic and we are looking at a number of alternative sources to validate these results.
“We remind people living in areas of Wales where there are currently no restrictions in place to remember, at all times, the importance of adhering to the regulations to prevent further local restrictions.”
These are the areas’ seven-day rolling totals for new cases (September 251 October). All figures are reported as cases adjusted for population (per 100,000 people):
Rhondda Cynon 179.1 (Up)
Merthyr (Down)
Blaenau Gwent: 143.1 (Down) Bridgend: 111.5 (Up) Cardiff: 102.8 (Up) Swansea: 97.2 (Up) Flintshire: 87.8 (Up) Wrexham: 75.0 (Up) Conwy: 65.7 (Up) Neath Port Talbot: 65.6
Tydfil:
Taf: 179.0 (Up) Newport: 56.9 (Down) Carmarthenshire: 56.2 (Down) Caerphilly: 54.7 (Up) Denbighshire: 54.3 (Up) Vale of Glamorgan: 53.1 (Down) Torfaen: 50.0 (Up) Gwynedd: 47.4 (Up) Ceredigion: 31.6 (Unchanged)
Monmouthshire: (Up) Powys: 26.4 (Up) Anglesey: 11.4 (Down) Pembrokeshire: 11.1 (Down) Wales overall: 78.8 (Up) Dr Chris Williams, incident director for the coronavirus outbreak response at PHW, added: “We are concerned much of the good work conducted over the past few months is at risk of going to waste. If the situation continues to worsen we may find ourselves at the same levels of infection that we experienced earlier this year in March and April and with that comes the potential for more extended restrictions to be imposed nationally.” 26.4